[www.inewsguyana.com] – The main opposition party – the People’s National Congress Reform – has deemed comments by General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party and Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, which sought to create a connection between the Party and drug lords and violent criminal gangs as both malicious and mendacious.
Rohee on Tuesday, February 4 had stated that the PPP is aware of the Opposition’s connection to drug lords and violent criminal gangs and posited that the opposition continues to delay the passage of the amendments to the Anti – Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Amendment) Bill in a bid to the vested interest of a few whose operations and survival will be affected if the Bill is passed.
The PNC/R in a press statement on Wednesday, February 5 denied these allegations and in turn criticized the incumbent PPP/C for failing (most seriously) to address the Country’s most pressing problems – the public security crisis.
“The Party has not accepted responsibility for the high rate of armed robberies, murderous maritime piracy, rampant gun-running, trafficking in persons, contraband smuggling, drug-trafficking and other violent and white collar crimes,” the statement added.
The PNC/R contends that Rohee’s comments are scandalous, irresponsible and a tactic by the PPP to run away from its dismal record in the areas of law enforcement and public safety.
“Instead of engaging in slander, the PPP must say why (since 2000), when the Money Laundering Prevention Act was passed, no arrest has been made; no assets of Drug Lords or Money Launderers seized. The Financial Intelligence Unit has failed to conduct any investigations leading to arrest and no substantive reports have been laid by that unit in the National Assembly.”
The statement further noted that alleged Drug Lords and Money Launderers openly flaunt extravagant lifestyles – multiple luxury cars, billion dollar real property without fear of investigation by the Guyana Revenue Authority or the FIU, “whereas many high ranking Government officials and Executive Members of the PPP live lavish lifestyles and are the owners of multiple property worth several hundred times their annual public servant salaries and emoluments, yet their overnight new-found wealth triggers no investigations,” the statement explained.
Rohee on Tuesday said, “The question is why would opposition parties who aspire to be an alternative government and who depend on their supporters, the business sector and the international community not only for financial support but for their political survival will want to withhold their support from a measure if not supported will have a crippling effect on those whom they depend upon for their survival?”
According to him, the Opposition’s slothfulness towards the passage of the Bill confirms the Government’s worst fear, makes no political sense and is devoid of logic.
